


Try Anyway

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [127]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Boys In Love, Communication, Cute, Don't copy to another site, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Oblivious Stephen Strange, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 16:45:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18832627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: Communication had never been their strong suit.





	Try Anyway

   Tony had been awake for nearly an hour when Stephen began to stir. His hands clenched around his StarkPad, stomach twisting sickly in anticipation of the man’s reaction, as he peered down at him in the early morning gloom.

   Stephen was naked, wrapped enticingly in the silk sheets Tony had specially ordered only weeks before. He was on his front, displaying his pale, muscular back, hands carefully resting on the pillow beside his head. He was beautiful, absolutely and completely exquisite.

   Tony could only hope it wouldn’t be the last time he saw him like this. Stumbling into bed together hadn’t been part of his plan, not even close. The last thing Tony wanted was to create the illusion of a one-night stand or a purely sexual relationship, too bad he’d never been good at curbing his impulsive tendencies.

   Yet, he didn’t regret it, not in the slightest. Tony had been paranoid for weeks now that Stephen, who could flirt with the best of them, was simply enjoying their quippy dynamic and didn’t mean any of the things he said, alluded to. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that Stephen had no romantic interest in him, especially with how smoothly their friendship had been going. Still, he had never been one for patience and had determined to ask Stephen to dinner or hopefully something a little more intimate.

   They weren’t supposed end up here. But the bonus of their situation was that he was very nearly certain Stephen felt exactly as he did. Even now he could hear Stephen’s whispered words ringing in his ears; _beautiful, perfect, I can’t breathe around you, all I want_. The memory of the praise sent shivers down his spine and Tony had every intention of convincing Stephen to stay, to not panic and run away like he always seemed so eager to do with things got serious…well except for last night

   Stephen shifted again and Tony set aside his tablet. He hesitated only a moment before reaching out his hand and tentatively ran his fingers up and down Stephen’s back. A soft sigh escaped his lips and fucking hell he was perfect, disheveled hair and relaxed body all things he tried to sear into his mind.

   Another, softer sigh and slowly his eyelids peeled back, revealing stormy grey blinking up at him. Tony waited, giving him a moment to realize where he was and of course he could pinpoint the second he did.

   His brows furrowed, eyes darting around the room and his body tensing beneath his hand. Tony swallowed and tried for gentle, “good morning.”

   Resignation filled his expression as he gruffly replied, “morning.”

   He was already beginning to shift away when Tony used his hand to press down forcibly, just enough to make his intent clear. Stephen frowned but stopped moving, sinking back in the mattress as he eyed him wearily.

   Tony simply raised an eyebrow, “pretty sure I recall you telling me Wong had the Sanctum covered until noon. So, how about we get breakfast then you can start freaking out.”

   Stephen pursed his lips, eyes dancing away again, “I don’t think that would be wise.”

   Tony shrugged nonchalantly, “we can do it in reverse order if you really want.”

   Stephen huffed but it ended on a slight laugh, “I’m not going to freak out.”

   “So, you weren’t just about to run away?”

   “I don’t particularly enjoy the awkwardness of the morning after.”

   Tony let his hand slide up his spine and into Stephen’s hair, soothing back the strands and suppressing a smile when Stephen’s eyes fluttered a bit, “I don’t know about you but its not awkward for me and I was the one with your dick in my ass.”

   “So crude,” Stephen muttered.

   “After last night I thought you’d be used to it.”

   Stephen shook his head and began shifting again, this time with one hand reaching down to grip the sheets as he sat up, facing Tony with those steady, knowing eyes, “I appreciate what you’re doing but I should really-”

   “Don’t you think we should talk about it?” Tony interrupted, heart jackhammering again.

   Stephen wasn’t putting up as much resistance as he expected. He’d thought the man would practically run from the room the moment his brain reached consciousness, but he was surprisingly level, all things considered and all it did was fill Tony with hope, that this could be salvaged, that he could do this right.

   Stephen frowned, “talk about it? We fucked, its awkward, we’ll work past it.”

   “I’d rather work towards it actually.”

   Stephen blinked at him, confusion clouding his face and maybe Tony had been a tad too optimistic, “why would you want that?”

   Tony sighed, “I feel like that question is too easy to bother answering.”

   “Tony, before last night you’ve had no interest in me.”

   It was Tony’s turn to stare at him, dumbfounded, “I feel like I’ve entered an alternate reality. Last I checked I’ve been flirting with you for months.”

   Stephen shrugged, “you flirt with everybody. Besides, you never asked me out somewhere and haven’t even hinted at anything beyond the flirting.”

   That…wasn’t wrong exactly. Tony could be smooth as all hell when he wanted to get somebody into bed with him, but serious relationships had always been his weak spot. Pepper had…just sort of happened and it helped that she was confident enough to sort of take charge of it. But Tony had never been so good at feelings and straight up admission which of course, was how they ended up here.

   This apparently, was his chance to rectify that, “alright, well my intention last night was to ask you out to dinner once we were done in the lab-”

   “But you decided you wanted to fuck instead?” Stephen interrupted; tone filled with disbelief.

   Tony bit his lip, “it’s the thought that counts?”

   Stephen snorted, shaking his head and running his hand through his hair. Tony watched as he seemed to think to himself, unsure exactly where to go from there. Then, his expression softened, those familiar eyes settling on him firmly, “this would be a bad idea.”

   Relief washed through him at the words, a smile stealing onto his lips, “probably.”

   “We won’t last more then a month.”

   “It’ll be a great month.”

   Stephen’s trembling fingers drummed on his bare thigh, folded in front of him, “we aren’t compatible in the least. Our jobs will complicate things.”

   Tony shrugged, “the hard way is the most interesting.”

   It hung there between them for several long moments, neither quite breathing as they came to a decision, then just like that, Stephen was leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, barely a touch before pulling back, eyes sparkling and half smirk dancing on his face, “breakfast it is, better make it a nice one.”

   Tony already had a list of places lined up.


End file.
